Christmas With the Kents
by Sub-Atomic Grape
Summary: A three part story for the holiday season. It is M'gann and Conner's second Christmas on Earth, and as they work on having a real holiday and juggling their lives as heroes, circumstances conspire to land them both at the Kent's house in Smallville, and brings their relationship to the attention of their mentors, and adopted family.
1. Snowy Days

**Part 1: Snowy Days**

((Author's note: trying something slightly different for the holidays, this is an attempt at a more light hearted romantic comedy. But as always, I own nothing and hope you enjoy reading.))

* * *

Trouble first arrived at the cave in the form of a red and white trimmed Santa hat, held in the hands of a very expectant and excited looking Martian. Who was insistent on holding it out for him to look at. And judging by that light in her eyes, was waiting for him to take the hat as well.

"…No." Was all Conner could say to it. He might have enjoyed red as a color, but that was well beyond his limits. Not that M'gann seemed to understand that, judging by her astonished blink.

"What? Why not?" And him simply looking at the ridiculously fluffy white trim or gaudy red color wasn't driving the point home, either. The look she was giving him was like he just declared that breathing was overrated and not something he was doing anymore.

"I've got a threshold on things that I'm willing to wear for special occasions…And that goes well beyond the mummy costume from Halloween."

"And I can't do anything to convince you?" She frowned at him, before her worried look shifted to a bright one in a way that made him REALLY uneasy. And prompted him to speak again.

"M'gann. Before you decide that you need to teach me the true meaning of Christmas and the holiday spirit, keep in mind that Cadmus already uploaded plenty of holiday archive information into my head." Probably so their weapon wouldn't go on a rampage once it saw a bunch of red lights and lit up 'S' letters in the words 'Seasons Greetings.' "Chances are I already know plenty. And I'm NOT grumpy about this either, so don't go thinking that…" From the way M'gann had to open and close her mouth a few times before any words came out, he guessed she was all prepared for just that. "Why are you so…Enthusiastic about this, anyway?" He tried a different conversation, since leaving her silent didn't sound like a great idea. "Didn't we already celebrate the holiday?"

"Well yeah, but that was _last_ year. And it was kind of last minute with the Haly's Circus case in Geneva." She ran the hat top through her fingers, fiddling with the white pom-pom on the end. "And now this year we don't have any big missions getting handed out, the League have a close eye on everything, and I thought…I thought it might be nice to really experience it? You know, like on TV, with stockings, lights, holiday treats, and,"

And goofy hats, apparently. She was still holding on tight to the item in question.

"Okay, okay; I get it." And in a way, he sort of did. If nothing else, her excitement was getting contagious. "But I draw the line at hats."

"Well…What about shopping, then?" It was his turn to give her a bewildered blink, while M'gann quickly warmed to the idea. "Actually, yeah! Shopping sounds great! We can pick out gifts, maybe find a few more holiday decorations…And it IS a thing people on Earth do, isn't it?"

"…Can't really argue that." He admitted, before adding "We're not going to go…Crazy with this, are we?" It was a relief when she gave a giggle at that, and shook her head.

"No. I solemnly promise we are not going to go overboard when it comes to shopping. We'll go out, enjoy taking in the sights and window shopping, and devote all of an hour to actually looking at and buying things. Nothing more. Besides," she flashed her teeth at him in a grin. "There's some holiday baking that I want to try, and I can't do that if we spend all day shopping. But we've got a deal?" She held her hand out, with that eager look still in place.

He raised his hand to shake hers, giving a nod. "Yeah. Deal." Although somewhere along the way, their fingers went from clasping to getting twined together. M'gann's still had a slight chill on their tips, making him wonder if she had been spending time out in the snow again. He squeezed them into his hand to warm them up, running his thumb across them to ease some warmth back into her skin.

"If you do much more of that, we're going to end up kissing on the couch instead of shopping." Conner wanted to reply that didn't sound like a bad alternative, but he forced himself to stand up instead, letting her hand drop back to her side.

"…Okay. Are you ready to leave now?" She started to nod, before catching herself.

"Actually…I'd like to bring one more person along, too." He didn't even need a mental link to guess, either. Not from the way her gaze dropped to the floor, and her shoulders tensed up. "I think it might be good to get him outside, if we can?"

"Right," he was already moving towards the rooms as he spoke. "Get whatever you need; I'll go tell him it's time to go."

"Are you sure-?" M'gann's voice was already cautious over _telling_ their last minute addition to do anything. Conner let himself smirk in response before saying "Yeah, I'm sure. I get the feeling I won't have to do much asking or ordering."

It didn't take long to reach the doorway in question. Although by then that confidence had fallen away to leave room for thoughts of how awkward this was probably going to be. He just barely rapped his knuckles against the door when it slid open...And showed an eager, green face going from looking at the floor to beaming up at him.

"Superboy!" He really wasn't sure what to make of how happy Gar was when he said that. A lot like how he still wasn't sure about the posters of Superman that had found their way onto the kid's wall. (Beyond reaching the conclusion that it wouldn't go over well if he punched those as well. Besides he was getting slightly better at his relationship with his sort-of mentor.) Finally, Conner settled for crossing his arms and looking gruff…Which didn't seem to dim the 'SO COOL' light in Gar's eyes at all.

"Hey. Um. Gar." He started awkwardly. "We're...Planning on heading out," Just over that dark green head, Conner could pick out more furnishings in Gar's room; the bed was a mess, while the shelves held a collection of books and dinosaurs stacked haphazardly across them. The only thing that seemed all that neat and ordered was the table next to his bed, and the pictures on it. He picked out a framed face that looked a lot like M'gann, when Gar piped up.

"I can go out with you guys? That sounds great!" Though the air seemed to go out of him pretty quick as another thought came up. "But…How are you going to handle the whole being green thing? I thought that was kind of a hang up for people?" At that, Conner did allow a smile.

"Believe me, one of the first things you learn is that people are good at rationalizing things. This time of year and with a little bit dressing up, I doubt anyone would look twice at a kid pretending to be one of those green…Elf helpers."

"…You want me to dress up as a Santa Elf to go Christmas shopping with you and sis."

"That's the sum of it."

"You know…Being a shut in kind of holds some appeal, the more I think about it." He was pretty sure Gar was mostly joking when he said that. At least he wasn't shutting the door or digging his feet in by refusing to go. Conner simply rolled his eyes and answered,

"Be ready in five. We're heading out then." As he turned away.

-o-o-o-

M'gann kept her scarf wrapped tight around her face as they stepped out of the Zeta transport and into the alley way. Even Conner looked ready to hurry along, with the winter air biting at their faces and making their breath fog out. Even if Mars could be colder then this, that didn't make standing around in the snow all that pleasant.

"Why couldn't we go shopping in California, anyway?" Gar asked, and she put a hand on his shoulder before her could try and grow any extra fur over himself.

"Authenticity." M'gann replied. "California is nice, but it's hard to get snow in any of the big cities there…And I wanted to see what it's like doing real winter shopping."

"…So far, the answer is that it's cold."

"Very witty, Gar." She gave him a quick poke on the shoulder, grinning as he gave a squeak followed by a giggle. "Looks like you don't have to worry about it being cold for much longer, though; there's our destination!"

She allowed a flash of pride to go through her as they stepped out of the corridor and caught sight of their shopping location. The stores had been carefully arranged along the main street of the city they'd dropped in on, flanking both sides with window after window of lit up merchandise. There wasn't a single store that didn't boast something shiny or in red and white trim, and she could feel Gar pause against her side.

"...Okay. I'll note that this is neat." He finally said. "I'll bet Conner and I can find something here...Once we get inside." He was already tugging Superboy by the arm as he said that, eyes tracing over the displays with an eager glint. Though whether that was getting to where all the merchandise was, or the chance to get into somewhere with a higher temperature, M'gann wasn't fully sure.

"I'll make sure he gets you something cool!" Gar called back to her before the two boys vanished into the crowd. M'gann didn't bother to muffle her smile or her giggle as she watched them leave…Although a few minutes later she found herself wishing that she'd kept Gar on hand, to give her some insight on looking for something Conner might like. She could have used any advice just then, as her eyes browsed over display after display as her feet took her past several stores.

Someone had strung lights along the windows. And with the sun dipping below the rooftops, they were beginning to light up in lines of white and little winking rainbows colors. Overhead, the speakers were chirping out some sort of tinkling, bell and chime heavy Christmas song that she'd never heard before.

M'gann was hard pressed to figure out what she loved the most out of all of that. There was even something fun about how her breath fogged up…Although, as her fingers started to soak in the cold air and she pulled her mittens on, M'gann couldn't help but notice how the couples around her were walking arm in arm to keep warm.

'_Come on, girl. You can think about trying that out AFTER you've finished this mission!'_ She mentally chided herself, and pushed through the doorway and into a shop to get out of the cold. She made out 'Curios and Gifts' on the door as it swung shut behind her, which felt like a good enough sign that she'd chosen a good shop.

Inside, she was greeted with a collection of tables all piled high with different things; some sorted by color, some by types (books, clothes, even a few pieces of jewelry glimmered at her from the store lights overhead.) with enough covering each table that she could barely make out the white table cloth underneath everything. Nothing that looked right for Conner, though. As her eyes scanned the table displays again, M'gann found herself pausing on a plastic box wrapped up in some cheap, stretchy gold chord and holding two things in it. She could pick out the words 'Peppy Puppy' written in bubbly letters on a tiny book, although the title was obscured by the plush toy dog parked onto of it. M'gann hovered over the box, feeling a very clear, gnawing temptation; the plush was cute enough, and the bargain sale tag almost looked sad with how fluffy and cheerful the combination was…Though it still wasn't something she pinged as a Conner gift, no matter how she tried to look at it.

She was close to running back to the Cave in order to call Wally for help, when the S-Shield caught on her eye. It was a flash of red almost hidden under a pair of black dress shoes and brief case, which M'gann carefully nudged aside. Her fingers brushed over soft knit fabric as she pulled the cloth into her hands, and found herself looking at a carefully knitted scarf. She didn't know that it was possible to get wool that smooth, or in such a dark blue and near black color. The S-Shield emblem was carefully woven into the bottom part, so it would be clearly visible when it was wrapped around the neck.

…And somehow, it all seemed to perfectly fit Conner. She was walking on air when she made the purchase (and had to check a few times to make sure that her feet WERE touching the ground) and hugged the bag tight to her chest as she left the store.

That euphoria lasted until she opened the door, and the screams started.

-o-o-o-

"So, what's the special gift you're going to pick out for sis?" Garfield looked like he wanted to run ahead in front of Conner, but something (whether it was caution over other people looking too close at him, or concern for helping with shopping, Conner couldn't say) kept him close at hand. He kept glancing between the displays and back at Conner, eyes bright and curious.

"…I wish I knew." Conner muttered as he scanned over the store fronts again. There were other shoppers moving along and gazing through the windows as well; some as couples, some as groups, a handful by themselves…Though he couldn't help but notice that none of them had anything close to the lost, confused look on his face, reflected back on him as he looked at another window. The face he could just pick out had its eyes narrowed and almost dipping into a scowl.

"What would you get her?" He found himself asking.

"Me? Well, maybe…I'd go with something I know she likes. Maybe something from one of her favorite episodes! There was this one time on Hello, Megan! where the characters get each other these mood-stone jewelry pieces…And then there's the silver friendship bracelets from Wendy The Werewolf Slayer, and-"

"…Gar." He gave a low growl that carried a definite undertone of 'not helping.'

"I'm just giving ideas! But as long as you don't pick any poison Sumac again, I think we're good." His breath didn't know whether it wanted to snort in annoyance at that, or turn into a dry laugh; the stuttering noise he made in the back of his throat was Conner's best compromise.

"Very funny-" He got as far as saying, before he stopped at the next store. At first, he couldn't understand why someone had bothered to stack piles of boxes in a window; experience so far dictated that window displays were supposed to be bright and showy in a way that bordered on eye searing. (But M'gann and Garfield liked it, so he had to conclude there had to be something okay with it) But this? Those containers were nice enough to look at, with carefully beveled edges and painted designs, but he couldn't understand why those were the only things on display.

"Hey, a music box store! Cool," Gar broke into his train of thought, almost putting his face against the glass to look in. When he saw Superboy's confused look, he continued. "You know, music boxes? They're…Kind of like CDs, except older. Kind of like antiques?" Conner glanced back at the storefront, trying to go through the archives in his head for anything that matched what Gar was saying.

"…Maybe you'll get it better if you look inside. Come on!" He didn't have time to say that he was almost figuring things out; by then Gar had grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him into the shop.

They ended up staying in there for longer then Conner expected. And when they left, he found himself holding onto a small wrapped box that opened up and played a soft, glassy sounding tune. Somehow, it seemed like a good fit for M'gann.

He was so focused on the bag that he didn't realize the gap in the crowd until Gar yanked on his hand with a hiss. That pulled his eyes up, to see that gap growing into a mob of people running AWAY from something. He picked out glass shattering a second later, and was already running headlong towards the source. Gar gave a yelp behind him, before bounding forward to keep up. He shrugged off his jacket as he ran, hoping that and the fact that it had been zipped over his S-shield would be enough to count as a secret identity...Right as the crowd parted and Conner found himself racing towards what looked like a linebacker that got lost in a punk rock concert.

"...You again?" He growled, looking at a blond head and a collection of metal studs, glancing up from the ruined window. And quickly settling into a scowl when the other boy picked him out.

"Ah could say th' same t' YOU, smallfry." Was the only words he got before a fist snapped towards him. Conner weaved to the side, eyes already glancing around for the other Twin.

"Gar-!" He growled out when there was a blur of muscle and plaid in the corner of his eye. And then a boot getting planted square in the back of his neck and pitching him into Tommy's fist. He heard something crackling and pressing against his gut, right as he remembered that his hands were still holding that gift for M'gann. Conner gasped as the air was knocked out of his lungs, straining against the weight on his neck-

Until it suddenly lifted up as someone yelled "Leave him alone!" and that pressure was ripped free of his head. He staggered back, letting the package drop from his hands. "Conner, I've got her! Focus on taking care of the other!" M'gann shouted, out of his line of sight as Conner forced himself back into a stance against Tommy.

He could remember the boast the Terror Twin had made before, about how he'd gone toe to toe with Superman. Trading blows with him now and feeling his bones barely holding up under the punches, Conner was starting to realize that was a lot more then just an idle boast…And that he wasn't standing up all that well to the punishment.

"What th' hell you got against folks havin' a joyride, anyway?" He watched the other boy's shoulders move, focus on those instead of his fist. Conner pushed himself to the side, so the punch connected with empty air, and snapped a hand around that fist to keep in place as he growled back at the Terror Twin and held him in place.

"Your fault for always interrupting my shopping trips."

...Somehow, that didn't seem as menacing or witty when he said it out loud. But it did have the effect of getting Tommy Terror to stare at him, slack jawed. He never saw the green blur leap up behind him, or how it turned into a gorilla on the way down; at least, not until it struck him square in the back. Garfield gave a roar while Conner gritted his teeth and kept any comments about monkeys locked behind them. The first Terror Twin was down, at least. And the second-

Something spun over his head, smashing into a wall and sending cracks spider webbing through the store front windows on either side. Tuppence crumbled to the floor with a groan, and didn't get up again. _'Getting better at this, huh?'_ M'gann's voice sounded tired...But there wasn't any pain lancing through it, either. He turned to see her standing in her green skin, giving him a shaky smile. Though when she looked down at the ground and caught sight of a trampled and torn bag, that smile faded.

"Oh no…" He could just pick out M'gann's voice, heavy with disappointment as she held something shredded and mangled in her hands. Her head snapped back up as she saw Conner, her eyes narrowed with worry. "Are you both okay?"

"Fine," he replied, walking back to where he'd dropped the box. He had to brush aside fragments of glass to find the package…Which was looking a lot more crumbled and lopsided then when he'd first held it. "…Just fine."

-o-o-o-

It wasn't the return she'd been hoping for. Dashing for her room and getting ready to wrap Conner's present was what she'd planned for, instead of dragging her feet and contemplating the ruined package in her hands. Gar and Superboy both gave her room to breathe after what happened.

...The same ended up not being true for Zatanna, when M'gann found her sitting in the den room. Her teammate glanced up when she heard M'gann's steps, already giving her a weird look when she realized M'gann wasn't floating.

"Trip didn't go so well?" Zatanna jumped into talking right away, motioning for M'gann to take a seat next to her while she switched the television on. She jumped through the channels until she settled on a cooking show to play in the background, while M'gann felt a half smile settle on her face.

"Sometimes, I think you know me too well." She murmured, while Zatanna rested a hand on her shoulder.

"I just know how to watch things. And figure out that if you're not zipping around in the air and telling me all about how the trip went, something bad must have happened." M'gann sighed, and gave Zatanna's thoughts a cautious nudge. When the other girl gave a nod an relaxed around her, M'gann fed her some of what had happened; the sudden fight against the Terror Twins...And all the damage that came with it.

"Wow. Never a dull moment with you guys, huh?" Zee's fingers drummed on her shoulder in a gentle pat, as M'gann nodded. "If it makes you feel better...I'll bet you can fix it." At M'gann's confused blink, she continued. "You know; sewing, or even getting a replacement gift? Don't let it get you down, though."

"I'll try?" M'gann offered, and to her relief could hear a little more optimism work its way into her voice. She brushed her hair back as she looked at Zatanna, letting her frown vanish. "So...What happened while we were gone?"

And then, Zatanna didn't meet her eyes, while M'gann narrowed hers. "...Zee?"

"Gnirb ym noitativni." Zatanna whispered in response, as a piece of paper flickered into her fingers. She wordlessly held it out to M'gann, who scanned the words before staring back up at Zatanna.

"...You know, I think if Robin asks you to spend the holidays with him, the right answer is 'yes.'" She offered, while Zatanna rolled her shoulders in a shrug.

"Yeah, I'm just worried about you three. Are you going to be okay spending Christmas here?"

"I'll be fine if I know you're having fun with Robin; I'm sure the same is true for the others, too. You should go spend the holidays with him and Batman. I'll bet you'll get some crime fighting in as well, knowing him." She managed a wry grin, something she'd been getting better at from hanging around Artemis. "So you don't even have to feel bad about missing out on the fight at the shopping center!"

"Okay, but-"

"Zee. If you don't go say yes to him soon, I might end up shoving you into the Zeta tube myself." THAT managed to startle a laugh out of Zee, which M'gann happily joined in on. Once they finally subsided to just giggling, Zatanna finally gave a small nod.

"Okay, okay. Christmas with the Bat-family it is, then. You and Conner better give Gar a good holiday too, though." And with that, she wrapped M'gann up in a tight hug.

M'gann kept her eyes and smile on Zee until she stepped through the Zeta tube. When the whirr of the transport died down, she let her feet take her towards Garfield's room.

She found him curled up on the bed, eyes intent on the screen where something with a lot of explosions was playing. She had to work on clearing her throat to be heard over the volume...And even then, she doubted that got his attention.

"Hey. Gar, I'm sorry about how the shopping trip went-" But he did jolt upright when he heard her.

"Are you kidding!? I got to help you and Superboy take out those bad guys; that was the coolest shopping trip ever!" He was grinning from ear to ear as he said that, bouncing in place on the bed. M'gann picked out a place next to him, shaking her head while she smiled.

"So...You're not upset?" He shook his head...But she could just catch a glimmer of something in his eyes, and that prompted her to take a closer look. "...Gar, are you sure?"

He didn't answer right away. And in the silence, she saw where his eyes had ended up resting; on his nightstand, where there was a picture of someone that looked a lot like M'gann herself. Just with more wisdom in her eyes, and a motherly look that made her own throat seize up.

"...Okay, no." He admitted. "But...I don't want to feel crummy all Christmas. I want to be happy with you and Superboy." Maybe it was just that he shared some of her blood, but his thoughts were as loud as Superboy's ever were. Unguarded, unfiltered, and she could pick them up like a loud conversation just outside the door.

_'Even though I feel bad now,'_ Gar's shoulders slumped, and before M'gann really processed what she was doing her arms were wrapped tight around him.

"I miss her too," she whispered, squeezing him into a hug. Gar made a choking noise, and with a kick in her chest, she knew he was trying not to cry in front of her.

"I"m not used..." To spending Christmas without Marie, M'gann knew. And a part of her worried that even with her and Conner, it wouldn't feel much like family in the Cave.

"What do you want for a snack?" She finally asked, easing up on her hug.

"…Banana and peanut butter sandwich?" Gar murmured, and M'gann brushed her fingers over his head as she whispered "Of course. Wait here, and I'll see about getting it together." Not that she held onto much hope that a sandwich would make him feel completely better. But with any luck, it would leave him with a little less hurt.

-o-o-o-

Conner's fingers moved over the remains of the gift; the front of the box had been caved in, leaving splintered and shattered panels of wood that formed into a rough fist shape. He could pick out the crumbled-in shards of metal as well, along with a ruin of snapped strings and broken gears.

His hands were able to navigate all of that, though. Starting with prying apart the wrecked shards of wood, setting them aside and then working his way through the wreckage of mechanical bits until the guts of the machine were all placed out on the table.

Looking at them like that, it didn't seem like a challenge with figuring out how to put it back together again. At least not compared to a motorcycle. The tool box to his side made a well oiled squeak as he pushed it open…And found himself looking at the bulky tools inside compared to the fine machinery laid out in front of him. This might, possibly be more complicated then he thought. Or called for a more delicate touch then what he was used to.

"Here." The voice came a second before a package was dropped next to him. Conner just caught the glint of tools, more narrow and precise then what he was used to, as he moved up the arm and found himself looking at a familiar face; it could have been his, several years aged. And wearing a more unsure expression then Conner usually saw in the paper, or on TV.

"…Heard some of what happened." Superman offered. "And I could guess what you might be trying to do."

"Because it's something you would do?" He wished that his voice was less biting, the same way he wished his shoulders would stop curling up so tight. Superman didn't seem to notice either, as he continued.

"Because I've also heard that you've got a head for mechanics and fixing things. Which is good!" He hurried to add. "I…Never could manage that really well myself, but I asked…" He trailed off, and mumbled something before continuing "…If I could borrow something. They said yes."

"…Wait. Who said yes?" Even with super hearing, Conner hadn't been able to pick that out, and to his surprise Superman ducked his head.

"My…Parents. They also said that it would be nice if…They could meet my brother at some point. My younger brother." He coughed for a moment, before awkwardly adding on "…That'd be you. They've said before that they really want to meet you, and I thought…Well, if you don't have anything planned for the holidays, it might be nice for you to get to know them."

The only way Conner could have felt more off balance and blindsided would be if Superman had just told him he wasn't really weak to kryptonite. He'd never really considered the idea of Superman having parents; he probably just sprang fully formed from the Kryptonian shuttle and jumped straight into fighting crime, as far as Conner was concerned.

"They…Want to meet me?" It was a slightly better question then 'you have parents?' at least. And gave him time to frantically try and get his thoughts in order.

"If you have the time for it." Conner was almost nodding before he could catch himself, and his thoughts shifted over to M'gann and Garfield. And even though he KNEW that Kryptonians didn't have mind reading abilities, Superman must have been able to see some of what was flickering across his thoughts by looking at him. "I think J'onn was going to invite his niece and…New nephew as well. He isn't a stranger to spending holidays with the family, either." He chuckled a little at Conner's face, adding "He's visited a few times…And my home isn't a stranger to aliens."

"I'll…Definitely think about it." Conner finally managed, before adding on in a rush "And I'll tell you soon."

Although as Superman nodded and stood up, Conner found himself hoping that he'd be able to say yes.

-o-o-o-

"How could I say no to that?" M'gann watched him through the gap in the counter. She could see how he drummed his fingers restlessly on the kitchen surface, still not sure about the arrangement. But his shoulders were looking less tense then before, as she continued. "Uncle J'onn was telling me about his plans, too; he said there'd be room for a few more people, if we wanted to come along."

"Do you?" She just let her teeth flash as she nodded.

"I do. It'd mean really spending time as a family, and a couple, and-" They must have realized what that meant as the same time, from the way they stared at each other.

"…We haven't really told anyone, you know." His thoughts were humming with sudden anxiety. Trying to tell his formerly-father-now-brother figure about their relationship was already difficult, if not impossible. Bringing two parents and an uncle into the equation sounded like building a scale model of Sphere with popsicle sticks.

"Y-yeah. I know. But we _were_ planning on telling them eventually…?" M'gann tested the waters with that, but saw how dour his face still was. "We could at least consider it; they're going to find out sooner or later." Conner sighed in response, giving her a cautious look as he shook his head.

"You know, we could always stay here-" He cut off as M'gann glanced over his shoulder, to where Gar's new room was. She only held that in her eyes for a moment, before dropping it and shaking her head.

"…Conner, I'm sorry. But I'm starting to think that isn't such a good idea. I mean, I like being here, but with all that's happened I…If I have a choice, I don't really want to spend the holidays in an empty cave with a lot of memories. I don't think that would be fair to Garfield, either." She felt something trace under her chin, before picking out the shape of his fingers and thumb as Conner lifted her face back up. And clearly trying to give her a reassuring look, even though worry kept flickering over his own face.

"Okay. We can settle on going to visit the," he paused over the name for a second, still clearly getting used to it. "The Kents."

"And telling them about us?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we reach it. Right now, I think packing is going to be more important."


	2. Winter Nights

**Part 2: Winter Nights**

"All set?" It was still weird, seeing Superman-

Seeing Clark Kent in civilian clothes. Conner tried to press that name and identity into his head. Either way, he still wasn't sure just what he thought of seeing Superman as Clark Kent, wearing glasses and trading out the cape and bright primary colors for an understated business suit.

"…Yeah." Conner managed, keeping a tight grip on his duffle bag as he spoke, plus Garfield's; he could already feel the weight difference without even having to see how Gar's was budging at the seams with probably a handful of clothes, and enough movies to see him through all of December instead of a few days. "We're ready."

M'gann stepped up beside him, and he could see how her fingers twitched towards his before she caught herself. Instead they just brushed lightly against his hand, and she gave him a bright smile; it was also still weird how she was the most excited out of all of them. What he mainly felt was a tight ball of nerves settling into his throat and making his teeth want to clench. Somehow, meeting the Kents felt like going to the League to prove himself. That he was worthy of the name, or-

"Then let us head out." J'onn cut into his thoughts, punching in a code for the zeta tube. As the voice that droned out their numbers and the low hum of the spinning parts filled the air, Conner could just pick out another flicker of motion in the corner of his eyes. Something pale white, and another thing spherical-

"WOLF!" He yelled, right as his vision was flooded with bright light. He felt the pull from the tube as they were hurtled across several states…And then cold air biting at his skin as the light slowly shifted to a different shade of white. Still almost blinding, but confined to long strips of white and barely visible blue sky. He was just aware that there was a roof over their heads, although the cold air outside easily moved through all the breaks in the windows and the empty doorway.

"A gas station?" M'gann asked as he finally started to take in everything, her eyes adjusting more quickly.

"An abandoned one. Good out of the way place to put a Zeta Tube…" Super-Clark trailed off as he looked at Conner, and as Conner picked out the mass of white fur that had come with them.

"…Wolf." He growled again. The canine only responded by tilting its head at him. Sphere just beeped. Clark held up his hands before Conner had a chance to speak again.

"You know, pets shouldn't be a problem either; it's a big enough farm house and…" Was he…Actually sounding embarrassed? Conner could process that less then the glasses and hat. "…We're running late as it is; come on."

-o-o-o-

The house came into view quick enough, a box standing in the middle of several acres of field. It was also the tallest thing around, aside from a bare tree standing next to it and reaching up with spidery fingers into the sky. The blue overhead was quickly turning overcast, and Conner was glad to take the Supercycle in low. (Clark and J'onn had both decided that with the cycle there, they didn't need to see about securing a car and just traveled by air.) His eyes traced over the farmland again as they landed, and he felt a slight itch settling in his thoughts; that there was something strangely familiar about the area. Sphere didn't like the cold much more then Gar did, curling into a ball once they'd all jumped to the ground and rolling off towards a shed nearby with a few grumbled beeps and whirrs.

Gar was grumbling too, bundled up in several layers of coats as he rushed towards the door to get out of the chill in the air. Clark only got to the porch first by the narrowest of margins…Although by then the door was already opening. M'gann moved behind Conner as they followed the convoy onto the porch as the door swung open on surprisingly quiet hinges, and a pair of gray haired people stepped out.

He'd never really seen anyone hug Superman before; not the way the older woman did when she threw arms around his shoulders as he bent down to get in her reach. He managed to remember the name 'Martha Kent' as he watched, and 'Jonathan Kent' as the man put a hand on Superman's shoulder. Which gave Martha the chance to transfer some of the affection over to J'onn patting him on the arm with a broad smile.

"J'onn! So good to see you again," she paused in the middle of her greeting and her hug, once her eyes caught on the two of them. "And you did bring company! I can guess that the boy in black must be Conner, but who's this?"

"This," J'onn let a small measure of pride into his words. "Is my niece, M'gann."

"H-hello." That green in her cheeks didn't do much to hide her blush; when M'gann went pink in the face, it was blaringly easy to see. Which left her with staying behind Conner, visible in just the corners of his eyes. Martha didn't seem bothered by it at all, however, giving M'gann a warm smile that somehow made her blush all the brighter.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, M'gann dear."

"And this is Garfield Logan. An…Adopted member of the family, I believe you would say?" Gar didn't have the same shyness that was keeping M'gann stuck behind his shoulder, moving forward and giving Martha a quick wave as J'onn continued. "And you're right; the last of the three is Conner Kent. Otherwise known as Superboy." He was amazed at the change that swept over her face when J'onn reached him; she still looked warm, but there was sudden softness to her look as well.

"...We've been wanting to meet you for a while," she started to say, when Wolf decided that would be a good time to nudge past Conner in order to look at the new people. That captured Martha and Jon's attention, as they both glanced over to the massive animal now putting its front paws on the porch.

"You...Brought a dog?" Jon managed, and Conner knew that he must have noticed the Kobra-Venom enhancements. Although strangely, that pause in his voice was the most surprise. No widened eyes or stepping away.

"…Wolf." Superboy corrected automatically.

"Is he house trained?" Jon continued, and when Conner nodded, that seemed to decide Martha as well.

"Well, there's room for all three of you, plus your wolf. We just finished making up a guest bedroom…Do any of you mind sharing a room?" That was about the time it really clicked in Conner's head that these had to be Superman's parents. They had to be used to having a hero for a son, given how little they minded the apex predator now curling up on the porch and focused on him, M'gann and Gar instead.

"N-not at all." M'gann offered, her voice finally picking up. "It's nice that you've got room for us-"

"Pleasure is all ours." Martha, even with those wrinkles around her eyes and a pair of spectacles perched on her nose, couldn't miss M'gann's shy posture. The older woman motioned for her to move forward, opening the door for her.

"It's good to meet you all." Jon spoke up, stepping closer and clapping a hand on Conner's shoulder. "But before we do anymore jawing, how about getting out of the cold?" Gar didn't have to be told twice, and darted ahead while J'onn and Clark followed at a more sedate pace. M'gann finally managed to detach herself from Conner's shoulder, giving him a nervous smile as she followed them, leaving Conner the last to move. But before he stepped inside, he found himself pausing outside the house, glancing around one more time before he stepped in and struck again by a weird sense of déjà vu.

-o-o-o-

She ended up finding sanctuary in the kitchen. M'gann indulged in a little bit of telekinesis, flipping the cabinet doors open and taking stock on what dishes and cooking supplies were stored where. She found herself memorizing the locations, and letting that ease out the tension that kept trying to take root in her shoulders.

"M...Gann?" A voice in the doorway stumbled over her name, as she turned to face Martha Kent. And her muscles snapped right back to tense as she found herself unable to meet Martha eye to eye. "What brings you to the kitchen? Hungry for something?"

"No...Just..." Nervous and awkward, but she couldn't coax those words out. "I...I like cooking." Those were almost as difficult to say, somehow; she felt nervous and skittish in that house, and couldn't put a finger on _why._

Before she could dwell on that question, Martha's face brightened up and she stepped fully into the kitchen, looking like a monarch in her own domain. "Well why didn't you say so earlier? I could use a hand in the kitchen with five boys in the house now. If that Conner is anything like his brother," M'gann had to marvel over how easily Martha placed Superboy in the family, and in conversation. And felt a tiny pang in her chest over hearing him already fitting in. "He probably eats like a horse. You want to help me with some pies?"

...Though no little hurts in the world could stand up to the euphoria that washed through her at that. M'gann almost shouted out "Yes!" as her feet flew off the ground and she zipped over to Martha's side. Her thoughts wanted to jump out between them on how this was JUST like what Granny Jones did in that episode of Hello Megan-

She didn't let them float into Martha's head, though. And as the older woman blinked at her and gave a gentle smile, M'gann tried to quiet her head. But even while she tried to order her thoughts, she couldn't shut out one realization; _'Jones was family for Megan.'_

And Martha Kent, even with her warm smiles, didn't seem like family yet...Probably, M'gann knew with a twist in her gut, because family didn't usually keep secrets.

"Dear, you look like there's something on your mind. What is it?" Martha spoke over the roil trying to turn her thoughts and stomach upside down, and M'gann reflexively shook her head.

_'Your newest cloned son and I are madly in love and not sure about telling any of you,'_ somehow didn't seem like the right answer to that question...Although she couldn't keep all of the truth crammed up in her lungs, as she found herself speaking.

"Just...Feeling a little out of place." Outside of the group...Which she hadn't needed to face for the longest time. With the team, there was a sense of belonging. But here, it was like stepping onto Earth for the first time, and not knowing how to behave. Somehow, TV made this idea of spending holidays with new people and not messing it up look a lot easier.

"Oh, M'gann..." Martha shook her head back and forth. "We're no strangers to aliens in this house, if that's what you're worried about. You, J'onn, and your brother should all feel at home here."

"...You really don't mind us being here? You're not...Worried about us?"

"I encourage the new company. And," The smile Martha gave her was confident, and convinced M'gann to stand up a little more straight. "I'd like to think that thanks to your uncle, I know a thing or two about Martians. Now, about that pie," M'gann went to opening the cabinets back up with a will, feeling some of that ache ease out of her chest. Not all of it...But enough that she could listen to Martha's instructions. Together they cut up the apples, mixed the sugar-flour-spice filling...It wasn't until they moved their creation into the oven that M'gann had time to look out the kitchen window again...And caught sight of a Garfield sized bundle of jackets go bounding through the snow. What she didn't expect was to see him pursued by an older man (who still moved through the snow easily) and an older version of Conner.

"M'gann?" Superboy's voice came from the doorway, pulling her around on her heels. "Gar's," He paused to glance outside, and caught sight of Gar lobbing a snowball at Superman, who dodged easily. "Guess you already saw him outside. But he's dragging Super- Clark, John, and me outside to make snowmen or something. Do you want to come too?"

"In a few minutes?" M'gann replied, turning her attention back to the pie. There was a brief second where she was tempted to send him a telepathic touch...But somehow, with Martha standing right there, something about it felt dishonest. Instead, M'gann focused on getting the dishes cleared away, and didn't even notice that Martha had stepped towards Conner until she finished the clean up.

"You know," She just caught the tail end of the conversation. "I've heard a little from Clark how your hero activities are going. But…" Martha gave him a worried look, glancing over his clothing. "Are you SURE that's what you want to keep fighting crime in? You know, I'm a good hand with a needle and thread; I could make you a super suit that's a match for Clark's."

"...Uh..." It wasn't very often that M'gann got to see Conner at a complete loss for words. Or overhear a battle of 'how do I say no tights without making her upset' play out on the edges of his thoughts. She was tempted to observe for a little while longer, but instead cleared her throat as an idea started to spark in her head.

"Miss Kent? Sorry for interrupting, but I wanted to ask you something...In private?" She glanced at Conner, who quickly took the hint and went for the door at a near sprint, in case the Kent matriarch suddenly changed her mind. With him gone, M'gann gave the older woman a nervous look of her own.

"Thanks. And, actually Miss Kent-"

"Call me Martha, dear. You don't need to be so formal!" The warm pat on her shoulder convinced M'gann of that, more then just those words. She gave a nod, as she mentally reached for the bag just outside the door. M'gann felt the zipper on her duffle bag part, and the contents inside shift around until she latched onto what she was looking for.

"O-okay, Martha. You were saying how you wanted to sew something for Conner. And, w-well...I was wondering, do you think you could help ME make something for him?" She felt the paper bag holding that singed scarf brush up against her hand as she tightened her fingers around it, and held the package out. "Or mend something?"

-o-o-o-

Conner only let himself breath when he stepped out onto the porch, and left that crisis of spandex behind him. He tugged the leather jacket a little tighter around himself to shut out the winter chill, quietly resolving that he'd switch to different shirts before he ever considered bright colored tights. Wolf only glanced up from his spot on the porch with a low "whff" before putting his nose back down on his folded paws, leaving Conner to relax and even his pulse back out in his own time.

_"Hey."_ M'gann's voice slipped into his head, and he gave a quiet mental nudge in response, letting their thoughts brush together. A second later, he felt her hand wrap around his as she stood next to him. The porch railing obscured their fingers clasping together, as they watched Superman pull up enough snow to shield himself from a volley of snowballs getting thrown by Gar and Jon Kent. _"You shouldn't have to worry about Martha asking you about super suits. We figured out a different activity."_

Somehow, there was a gleeful note in her head that made his fingers tense up. It sounded a little too close to mischievous for his liking...And M'gann noticed how tight his grip was on her hand.

"Are you okay? You look like passing the tights gauntlet was a matter of life or death." She couldn't keep the teasing out of her voice…And in her thoughts he could hear an undercurrent of _'given how you settled in immediately and I had to fumble through things with Martha, you deserve a little ribbing, mister.'_ He didn't do much more then roll his eyes at that...And look for something to change the subject.

"I'll be fine. That's not what's bothering me anyway." He turned towards the porch bench, tugging her along as they sat down. "I just can't shake that I've been here before, somewhere."

"You think this is familiar, too? The city name sounds kind of familiar..." She trailed off, searching through her memories. He went silent, letting her comb through them until she raised her head up with a hushed "...Wait."

Her hand clutched as his as she continued. "Do you...Remember that training exercise? The one where-" From the way she cut off, he didn't need much more explanation, and gave a nod. "Well...Didn't the mothership land in a place called,"

"...Smallville." The name came out with a low growl, as Conner shook his head and looked around again. "You know, if Manhunter wasn't part of the League, I'd want to claim he's an evil mastermind."

"He's good about making sure people can handle new places, at least?" M'gann offered, running her thumb over the top of his hand...At least until the screen door opened and they quickly broke contact, right as another green skinned person stepped outside.

"...Speak of the evil mastermind, and he appears." Conner grumbled, watching J'onn. Left to himself, he would have been content with stewing and giving a few glares. Unfortunately, M'gann didn't seem to think the same, as J'onn blinked before turning to look at her. The air felt like it was humming from their psychic conversation, as M'gann first narrowed her eyes and then blinked in surprise.

"He says," she kept her voice low as J'onn took a seat on the other end of the porch. "That it felt important to give you an idea of your roots...Even if you didn't know what they were yet."

"...Tell him...Thanks." Conner managed, before adding "Though you can tell him after we're done out here." He stood up at that, moving out to where a grand battle of snowballs was unfolding, with M'gann right behind him.

-o-o-o-

"Warm enough?" M'gann smiled as Gar burrowed into his collection of blankets.

"Yeah…I didn't think it would be THIS cold out here. It never gets like this in Qurac…" He trailed off, and M'gann ran her hand over his head to smooth out his bangs. "…But I like the snow. You're sure Superboy and Superman will want to make more forts tomorrow?"

"If I ask, then yes." She squeezed him on the shoulders, and he gave a quick grin before ducking his head under the covers. M'gann tried to pretend that she didn't see the flashlight flickering on and shinning through those blankets, or hear the rustle of pages as she slipped back downstairs. _'As long as he's asleep by the time we get upstairs,'_ she told herself. She levitated her feet, to keep her footfalls quiet on the steps.

"Doing okay?" Conner's voice greeted her when her feet touched the landing, even with that extra stealth. He was seated in the living room, glancing at her from over the couch. The lights were all dimmed, save for the fire in the hearth, giving her just enough light to pick out his eyes. Wolf was curled up on the floor, though his ears twitched up when Conner spoke.

"Now that I'm finally easing in, yeah. It helps that Martha knows how to bake everything, it seems." She let her teeth show in a grin, remembering how the rest of the day went; between cooking and chasing Gar around the yard, she was surprised that she still had energy to be up.

...Although, when she looked at Conner and saw that warm look in his eyes, she could figure out at least one reason to stay awake. It was just confounding that they couldn't really do a lot; no kissing or snuggling without worrying about someone coming downstairs and seeing them curled up together. Small farmhouses were sweet, but didn't do much for privacy.

"Hey. Let's go out." She started and shook her head, not quite sure she'd heard correctly.

"Right now? But it's-"

"The middle of the night, I know. Which means no one is going to miss us." He was already easing himself up as he spoke, moving across the floor. She couldn't pick out his face, as he stepped away from the fire…But she could imagine a smug look, going by his voice. Wolf pulled himself up as well with a grunt, giving himself a shake as Conner moved up next to her. "Seems like a good time to spend together,"

"And not worry about what anyone might see?" Or think of them? Conner's answer was to brush his lips against her forehead before wrapping his fingers around her palm. She let him pull her forward, and lead her out towards the porch. The floorboards creaked under his feet, but he was moving lightly while she drifted in the air behind him. Wolf padded ahead of both of them, and by the time they were at the porch, Sphere was already waiting. The moon reflected off of the red steel as she unfolded out into the Supercycle, and M'gann crawled up into the driver's seat with Conner. At first she was sure that the right spot was behind him, like before…But he had different plans, as her wrapped an arm around her shoulders and tucked her up against his chest.

"Conner." She let a little humor slip into her voice. "I'm pretty sure this isn't how you're supposed to ride a motorcycle-" She started to say, until he cut her off with a kiss on the cheek.

"And this is a flying motorcycle; I'M pretty sure we get to decide the rules for it." M'gann could feel his thoughts tickling at the edge of hers, and she opened the link back up…To find not words at first, but a satisfied sigh as he wrapped her up in one arm and coaxed Sphere into the air with the other. _'And I've been missing this.'_ He was content, relaxed now that they were curled up and had a blanket of white countryside stretching beneath them as they climbed into the air. Compared to that, M'gann was glad to oblige him by staying in his arms.

…Although, she decided that given the favors she was providing, he could give one to her. And with that in mind her hands flickered through the pocket she'd placed in her cloak, moving quick enough that the hat was on his head and over his ears before he could do more then blink.

"I want to get my holiday cheer as well." She replied as his face fought over being surprised or scowling. "And I don't want your ears getting cold."

"…Fine." Conner growled, as Wolf glanced back at them and tilted his head over the new splash of red on Conner's head. With that done, M'gann worked on keeping herself warm as well. She morphed her clothing into an insulating suit, while her cape grew a few more inches of thickness and wrapped closer to her face like a scarf.

Above them, they had a half moon that wrapped the snow below in a soft, silvery blue glow. The stars were just visible as well, bright in Earth's sky. Without any clouds or red dust to obscure them, they glimmered and drew M'gann's gaze into the night sky. She hummed in satisfaction as she leaned against Conner's chest, pulling his jacket around them both to help block out the cold. He kept both his hands on the handle bars now, guiding them along.

"You're right," she murmured as she turned and nestled into a different spot against his shoulder. "This is a lot better then just spending the night in a room-"

Wolf's head shot up as she spoke, his ears pricking forward as a low rumble built up in his throat. Conner was glancing around as well, and while his ears didn't stand up QUITE as straight, she couldn't mistake that alert look chasing the contentment out of his face.

"You hear something?" She pulled herself up as well, straining her ears…But not able to pick up anything.

"Sirens…Maybe alarms. Too far away to tell for sure…" He trailed off, as M'gann pushed herself fully upright and gave him a nod.

"So we're going to go get a better look?" He gave her a quick smile, while Wolf howled as the Supercycle revved into high gear and sent them shooting across the sky and towards a collection of buildings dotting the far side of the flatland.

With how fast the Supercycle ate up the distance, it wasn't long until a high pitched whine was teasing at the edge of M'gann's hearing as well. "Definitely an alarm." Conner noted, with a strangely…Satisfied edge to his voice. And, M'gann realized, something a lot like eagerness as well. "And a robbery."

"Why are you so CHEERFUL about a robbery?" She blurted out, staring at him…Before the answer came to her a second later. "…You." She also let a little accusation slip into her words. "You want to beat up people. Conner, this isn't a valid way of spreading and enjoying Christmas cheer!"

"Maybe not, but it's going to make ME feel better. Besides, robbing a store isn't in the spirit of the holidays either." He was still grinning, and she found herself wanting to swat him on the head. It didn't help that she could just pick out "_And don't lie, you could use some crime fighting too."_ In his thoughts.

…She couldn't make a good counter to that either, and when Conner vaulted off the Supercycle once the ground came into reach, M'gann found herself right beside him.

The storefront glass had already been pulverized when they arrived, and M'gann could just pick out three men stepping through the ruins of the windows. They were a far cry from the Terror Twins, just with cloth masks and carrying a gun each. Conner was already cracking his knuckles as he went rushing towards them; they didn't even have to do more then stare as he smashed headlong into them with a roar.


	3. Home For the Holidays

**Part 3: Home For the Holidays**

The edges of his knuckles still felt a little sore, and they were what pulled him out of that half-sleep Conner had been settled into. When he blinked his eyes open, he caught a flash of green skin on the bed opposite of him. M'gann had opted for just a thin sheet of blankets, a sharp contrast to the jumble of quilts and heavy comforters that formed into a nest Gar was probably buried under. Her eyes flickered open as he watched her, and she smiled as she focused on him.

"…Morning, Conner. Long night." She still looked a little bleary eyed, even though they'd hurried back once the robbery was well wrapped up, and there were police lights flickering in the distance. M'gann was slow with propping herself up onto her elbows, still blinking away her sleepiness. At least until her head darted up, and glanced towards the doorway.

"…Uncle J'onn is calling for us." She was looking off into thin air, frowning as she relayed whatever was going on through her head. "He…Seems worried about something, but he won't say what. We're supposed to go downstairs."

"Something bad?" He was pulling himself out of bed, the same as her while they both stood up.

"I don't know, but we probably shouldn't keep them waiting." She paused for a moment, before giving him a smile and pressing her lips to his forehead, just between his skin...And where he still had that damn hat over his ears. "I'm sure it'll be fine. And you still look too sweet for words."

"Too ridiculous sounds more likely." He grumbled…But kept the hat on as he followed her downstairs. From the way she did a little hop skip to get into the air as she drifted into the dinning room, Conner couldn't help but smile and feel light and relaxed on his own feet.

That calmness lasted for all of five seconds when they reached the ground floor, until he realized that the entire company (aside from himself and M'gann) were gathered around the television and had it switched to the news.

"Coming to you live," a woman on the screen, who could have been a relation of Cat Grant from the blonde hair and dress attire, addressed the viewers. "Where we continue to investigate the reports from last night, casting a strange note to the holiday season."

'Santa sightings in Smallville?' Read the text underneath, as the text scrolled by. 'Residents report seeing a red object flying through the sky.' His stomach elected to do a full plummet then, especially when a blurry photo that looked suspiciously like Sphere flickered on in the background.

"Oh-" He almost cursed, but it was only when Conner remembered that Superman and the extended family were all within easy hearing range that he bit his tongue. All while the news report continued.

"As you can see, the windows along the store front have been left shattered and ruined. It's hard to say just who or what was thrown through them, but all evidence points to a violent encounter…And that's not even covering the car, if you'll bring the camera over this way." Conner found himself pleading for the camera to NOT turn that way...Not that it did any good. "The robber's getaway vehicle has so far not been impounded or confiscated, largely because police are still working on recovering all the shrapnel that was torn free, as well as locating three of the four tires, which appear to have all been ripped clean off the axels. Astonishingly, the bullet holes in the walls and casings on the ground seem to be the least shocking thing here…Apart from the amount of ammunition spent. Detectives conclude that these men felt the need to use excessive force, although the lack of blood makes it clear that they appear to have been unsuccessful…"

M'gann was shifting from foot to foot next to him, and floated up into the air with a start at the next report.

"The would-be-robbers claim to have been apprehended by, in their own words, 'a glaring muscle bound Santa,' Conner was abruptly aware of that damned red stocking hat on his head, and how his face was flushing into a good match for that color. "…And finished by kissing his green elf assistant before flying away in a red sleigh. Authorities have not yet ruled out the possibility of drug or alcohol abuse to explain these claims-"

The 'mute' icon flashed on as everyone turned to look at them both. M'gann hadn't shrunk behind Conner's shoulder yet, although judging by her posture she was tempted to do just that.

"Something we should know?" Clark asked, right as Gar squeaked out "Why didn't you bring ME!?"

-o-o-o-

They were lead into the living room. Conner expected that it had been turned into a firing range, with how his stomach kept trying to fall down into his boots. He was amazed that he and M'gann weren't given blindfolds as they stepped through...Although he DID find himself tempted to ask if he could trade a last cigarette out for a last kiss.

"You could have a seat, if you want." Jon offered. Conner almost said no, when M'gann sank down into the sofa. Conner found himself taking a seat next to her...And, since everyone had already seen the TV footage, found his hand reaching for hers. The Kents ended up taking a seat on one side of the room in a pair of armchairs, with Gar nervously sticking next to them as he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet. It was Clark and J'onn that took up the center of the room...And demanded the most attention from both of them.

"I think the first question is, what were you doing outside?" Clark asked, followed by J'onn adding "And that late."

"Well..." M'gann somehow got her breath first, although her voice was hushed. "You see, we heard sirens and decided to investigate-"

"M'gann," J'onn cut her off, shaking his head. She didn't quite flinch; his voice wasn't harsh enough for that, but her words died out. "That doesn't answer what you were doing out there to begin with."

"Just...Looking for some fresh air?" Her voice was weaker then before, as Clark shook his head.

"And you couldn't wait until this morning?" Clark was giving her a look that bordered between worried and frustrated. "Stopping a robbery wasn't a bad thing, but leaving without telling anyone-"

"It wasn't her fault!" Conner blurted out, releasing her hand and pushing onto his feet as he looked around. "I needed some fresh air and asked her to come with me, because," He WASN'T going to let his words freeze up, and let them pour out of his mouth. "Because I wanted some time alone with her. Without worrying if you'd see or flip out about it."

Conner growled the last out, letting himself drop back onto the sofa with just a touch of sulkiness. He wasn't meeting anyone eye to eye just then, deciding to scowl down at the carpet instead. He could almost hear Clark blinking at him...And waited for the inevitable 'you're too young to be seeing someone' or 'this isn't professional' or anything else that amounted to breaking off the relationship. He could feel M'gann tensing up against his shoulder as well, her sides fluttering as Clark took a deep breath.

"...Why do you think I'd 'flip out' about you two dating?" His eyes almost bulged out of his head when he heard that...And didn't pick out any disapproval in his voice. "It's not like you just started seeing each other...Right?"

His mouth wasn't cooperating, as Conner kept trying to form words while his tongue stayed numb. The best he could manage was a strangled "You KNEW?" as he yanked his head back up. Conner couldn't decide whether to glare or be dumbfounded over that, so he settled for blinking instead. M'gann had gone quiet in his head, and in the corners of his eyes, he could see that she looked just as wide eyed and startled.

"I suspected since last year. You were both together at the Watchtower...But I thought that looking too closely wouldn't be polite; you've got the right to your own choices and identity, you know." Superboy's head dipped up and down in a nod, slowly, as J'onn continued.

"It did not take long for Superman to share his observations with me. As well as the fact that my nephew was not shy about telling me some things." Garfield Logan was doing an admirable job of trying to shrink behind the chairs as Conner transferred his eyes over to him...And settled on a glare. But it was M'gann that managed an outraged "GAR!"

"H-hey! Not my fault! You didn't tell me that it was a secret!" Gar squeaked out from his new spot behind Martha. "There were never any romantic subplots like this in your favorite shows; how was I supposed to know that was a thing with you and Superboy!?" It wasn't very often that Conner witnessed J'onn J'onzz as anything less then composed, let along burying his face in his hand and massaging his temples.

"...That is beside the point, M'gann. However, I agree with Clark, and feel the same." That got M'gann to switch her focus away from Garfield. "I trust you to fight as a hero alongside your team. Compared to that, maintaining a relationship...Has some gravity, but is something you should be able to handle." M'gann's hand was grasping at his again, her grip shaky...While her thoughts quivered with relief. Conner squeezed her fingers back, not bothering to hide that they were holding hands...Or doing much to bite down on that smile trying to pull up on the corners of his mouth.

"It's already wonderful that we've got another son in our household." The skin around Martha's eyes crinkled as she smiled and spoke up. "Welcoming his girlfriend is just more good news. And," She glanced back at Superman. "Might convince his older brother to bring that nice Lois girl by for a visit sometime." Clark's only reaction was a nervous cough as he moved away from the center of the living room, and seemed to adjourn the talk.

"…Soooo," Gar asked, poking his head back out from behind the armchairs. "Since that's fixed, does this mean we get to build snow forts?"

-o-o-o-

Instead of causing anymore Santa sightings that evening, they both decided it would be better to curl up on the sofa. Conner had pulled it just out of the warmest radius of the fire, giving M'gann a slight feel for the warmth in the air, and the ability to watch the flames crackle in the fireplace. But without any of it stinging at her skin, or leaving her faint headed. The most warmth she got instead was Conner's arms wrapped around her.

"So. Good night before Christmas?" He kept his words low against her ear, while M'gann turned her head so their cheeks brushed together when she nodded.

"Yes...But actually, there was something more I wanted to do. And something I wanted to give you," she stretched out her hand, motioning towards the stack of presents under the tree. The wrapping paper crinkled a little as one freshly wrapped gift floated towards them, until Conner squeezed his hand around it. He glanced between her and the package, his mouth tight with confusion.

"Is this okay?" He sounded so hesitant over opening the gift that M'gann had to laugh.

"Everyone was okay with us kissing. I don't think they'll mind if we open one present a little early. And…" She glanced up at the mantle clock resting above the fireplace. "Technically, it IS Christmas, since it's a minute past midnight."

From the way his chest quivered under her, and the low sound stuttering out of his throat, she knew that Conner was laughing. He took the present into his hands...And then carefully parted the wrapping paper along the edges where it was taped, methodically parting the present. His eyes widened when they picked out the mended red S underneath, and he wrapped the fabric around his hands as he pulled it out. The scarf had been carefully stitched back together, the thread guided by Martha and woven into place by M'gann. She traced her own finger over where the darker thread was, just visible against the original fabric with the firelight flickered just right.

"Do you like it...?" She found herself asking, trying to get a clear reading on his expression. Conner's response was to wrap his hands tight around her shoulders, coiling the scarf over her back as he pulled her in close for a kiss. The fabric brushed against her cheek and neck as his fingers moved across her skin, as Conner thrummed satisfaction through their link.

_"I'll take that as a yes?"_ She sighed out, while he smiled against her lips. It wasn't until they paused for air that he managed a low "Yeah, you can." Their cheeks were both flushed, M'gann knew. Conner was tracing circles on her back and letting the fabric fall free from his fingers when he spoke again.

"I wanted to give you something too," she raised her head and followed his line of sight to another gift under the tree. The paper was folded and taped all at smooth angles, though the ribbons looked a little more worn and strained. It wobbled a little under her mental grip, and at Conner's nod M'gann pulled it forward. She was already pulling the paper off as the gift tumbled into her hands, and as M'gann cleared away the last of the ribbons, she found herself looking down at a carved box. It just fit in her cupped hands, while the wood around it had been carefully carved and layered in place...Although she couldn't help but notice how parts of it seemed patchwork, with different colors and grains stuck together.

"It got damaged in that fight. I tried to fix it, but-" The words got swallowed up when M'gann put her lips over his. Conner froze underneath her for an instant, before relaxing.

_"That's enough of that."_ She chided him through their link, as she turned her head so their noses bumped together for an extra bit of admonishment._ "You're not allowed to be critical over the gift you found just for me, mister."_ She could her a muffled "Yes'm" underneath her lips, and smiled as the broke apart for moment.

"Besides, I love it."

"You should look inside, too." Conner pointed to the latch, which sprung open under her fingers. As the box opened, she could pick out a soft, tinkling melody that sounded as clear as any fresh and undamaged box. But when she looked inside, her eyes widened; what little she knew from television said there was usually supposed to be a little pink dressed figurine inside, spinning around.

Instead, she found herself looking at a white wolf. It was a little blobby in the mane and tail, but she could identify it easy enough. She could also pick out fingerprints where Conner must have been trying to sculpt and shape the thing.

"And now I love it even more," she rested her head against his, smiling down at it. "I don't think there's anything like it out there; and it's definitely got your touch." Conner wrapped his arms snug around her hips, and she was ready to fall asleep against him...When her eyes flew open and she turned her head towards the stairs.

"...I know you're there, Garfield." She said to the shadows on the staircase. "So stop trying to spy on us." Conner was already blinking his eyes when there was a startled 'eep!' from the steps.

"Awww...I was working on my sneaking skills! I thought I had you both fooled." M'gann shook her head...And decided not to tell him just yet that he needed work in keeping his thoughts quiet. Or at least not laugh through them quite as loud when he was trying to eavesdrop on people.

"You should be in bed," she pointed out, as Garfield bounded down the steps.

"But...Siiiis, it's Christmas eve! It's like, a tradition to stay up as late as possible and then get up as early as you can! To open presents?" He offered, right as M'gann found herself trying to swallow a lump in her throat...And feeling words come out around it before she could stop them.

"Gar? Before you go to sleep...I got something for you, too-" Her voice felt like it was getting squeezed off, but Gar didn't notice as he dove at the presents with a whoop. "Thanks sis! Is it the green box with the ribbon?" He didn't wait for her answer, already picking out the tag with his name and tearing into the paper.

He didn't slow down until a set of old tapes tumbled onto the carpet with a dull 'thunk.' He slowly turned them over in his hands, and M'gann could see the exact moment he picked out the title "Hello, Megan!" written on the tops.

"These are…"

"Some tapes from the Cave. They used to be mine, but I thought that maybe you'd like them?" This was feeling less and less like a good idea by the second. As she watched Gar and struggled for the right words, she felt something squeeze around her hand and glanced down to see Conner wrapping his fingers around hers, trying to keep her steady through his grip. "O-of course, I got you some other gifts, but I thought it might help-"

Gar didn't say anything, and fell right into her arms. She could feel him shaking, and it took her a few seconds to pick out the muffled 'thanks' from where his head was buried in her shoulder.

After that, she didn't have the heart to tell him to go upstairs. He ended up falling asleep nestled between herself and Conner, and Superboy finally carried him upstairs to sleep in a real bed. And when he came back down, she saw how his eyes caught on the second gift she'd wrapped. When Conner lifted his eyes up to M'gann, she gave a little smile and an even smaller shrug.

"I was trying to decide whether to give you that present or not...But once we got here, I ended up wrapping it anyway. So if you want…?" That must have been enough to convince his fingers to run along the seams and break open the tape, just as methodical as before. He blinked at the plastic square under the wrapping paper, and blinked again when he pulled out a plush puppy and book.

"I know...Not really a gift that you could use. But it looked really cute...And if you don't like it, I could always give it to Zatanna instead-"

"...No." Conner sounded oddly possessive _and_ decisive over that. "I like it."

_"Because it's a gift from you"_ she could just pick out through their link...But based on the color in his cheeks, she had the feeling that Conner hadn't meant for that to be heard. She tried to ease out any embarrassment by shifting over to the side of the couch, to give him room to rest next to her. He didn't need any extra coaxing, and curled up next to M'gann before pulling her back into his arms. She found herself resting with her head on his shoulder, while their sides pressed together and their presents rested on the floor nearby.

It was hard to picture a more perfect holiday then laying safe in each other's company...And accepted in her boyfriend's new home away from home. When M'gann drifted off to sleep, it was while her mind whispered _"Love you"_ to Conner, and his thoughts wrapped around her like a warm blanket on a winter's night.


End file.
